What’s the Importance of Private Blood Tests?
One of the most crucial ways to monitor your overall physical health is through routine blood testing. Regular testing can help you monitor how your body changes with time and provide you with the information you need to make wise health decisions. How can I book private blood tests near me in Bedfordshire? Keep reading to find out.
What can private blood tests near me in Bedfordshire detect?
Your pharmacist or doctor can use some blood tests to find out how well your body’s organs are functioning. Blood tests can reveal issues with your thyroid, liver, or kidneys, as well as other organs.
Blood tests can also be used to look for markers of health conditions and diseases such as:
– Diabetes
– Cancer
– HIV
– Anaemia
– Coronary heart disease
A blood test can determine whether a person is at risk of getting heart disease even if they do not currently have the ailment.
Some blood tests can evaluate how well your blood clots or determine whether the meds you’re taking are performing as intended.
How to prepare for private blood tests near me
If there are any special directions you need to follow prior to your test, the healthcare provider who schedules your blood test will let you know.
It’s critical to adhere to the directions given to you because failing to do so could impact the test’s outcome and necessitate postponing or repeating the procedure.
What is the best blood test?
Let’s take a look at some of the common blood test types in more detail.
Blood cholesterol test
Cholesterol is defined as a fatty substance that is mostly produced by the liver from fatty foods you consume and is essential for the body’s normal operation.
A high cholesterol level can increase the chance of developing catastrophic conditions like heart attacks and strokes.
A quick blood test can be used to determine blood cholesterol levels. In order to ensure that all food is fully digested and won’t alter the outcome, you can be requested to fast for 12 hours prior to the test (which typically includes when you’re asleep). However, this isn’t always necessary.
Blood culture
In order to do this test, a tiny sample of blood must be drawn from at least one other part of your body in addition to a vein in your arm.
The samples are mixed with nutrients intended to promote bacterial growth. This can assist in determining whether your blood contains any microorganisms.
Usually, two samples or more are required.
Blood glucose (blood sugar) tests
Checking the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood allows for a number of tests that can be employed to diagnose and monitor diabetes.
These consist of the:
– Fasting glucose test – this measures the amount of glucose in your blood after at least eight hours of not eating or drinking anything besides water.
– Glucose tolerance test – this test measures your blood glucose levels after a period of fasting and again two hours later.
– HbA1C test – a measurement of your typical blood sugar level over the previous three months performed at your doctor’s office or hospital.
There may be home blood glucose test kits available. These can be tested with just a tiny “pin prick” of your blood.
Blood typing
This is done to determine your blood group before giving blood or receiving a blood transfusion.
Your immune system might attack the red blood cells if you received blood that wasn’t compatible with your blood type, which could result in potentially fatal problems.
Blood typing is also done while expecting a child since there is a slight chance that the child’s blood type will differ from the mother’s, which could result in the mother’s immune system attacking the baby’s red blood cells. This is referred to as Rhesus.
Cancer blood tests
Several blood tests can be performed to assist diagnose specific malignancies or determine whether you have a higher risk of developing a specific type of cancer.
Full blood count (FBC)
This test will look at the types and quantity of platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells in your blood.
This can help provide information about your general health as well as significant hints about potential health issues.
You can read more about different types of blood tests on the NHS website here.
Learn more about our blood testing in our previous blog post here:
What are the benefits of taking private blood tests near me?
Blood testing can provide a good view of your general health. Additionally, they let you monitor how effectively your body reacts to various treatments and early disease or illness detection.
Can I book private blood tests near me in Bedfordshire?
Simply get in touch with one of our pharmacists to schedule a blood test. The pharmacist will go over your options with you before scheduling the test.
This blog post was written on behalf of C & H Barton Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.